The Pros And Cons Of Big Game Hunting

In the last couple of years, the issue regarding big game hunting has received more recognition since the killing of Cecil the lion in 2015. Despite the controversy concerning the use of legal paperwork by Walter Palmer, the individual who killed the lion, the killing of the exotic animal itself caused a major spark in the ethicality of trophy hunting. “The killing of Cecil the lion in Zimbabwe in July 2015 reignited the debate over big game hunting” (Big Game). When looking at big game hunting from an ethical point of view, it is more beneficial than opposers realize. There are many controversies surrounding the dispute of the legality involving big game hunting, most educated hunters know that big game hunting actually helps, not hurts, the

Due to the fact that not all hunters claim all of the animal remains produced from big game hunting, many hunters give the meat, bones, and hide to local communities for their usage. The revenue produced from hunting goes back to the local community that the animal was taken from. All trophy hunters pay many fees for a big game hunt, but considering that most hunters do not take home the entire animal they killed, anything that remains from the hunt is left for the benefit of the community (Big Game). “Game laws should be drawn primarily in the interest of the whole people, keeping steadily in mind certain facts that ought to be self-evident to every one above the intellectual level of those well-meaning persons who apparently think that all shooting is wrong.…” (Roosevelt). This excerpt shows that not all hunters go out to shoot an animal and leave it for dead, the animal is not wasted, it is actually spread throughout the communities for the locals use. "Hunting also provides much-needed funding for Africa 's protected areas…. If this revenue goes away, so does the Zimbabwean government 's ability to adequately safeguard wildlife populations from poachers and other illegal hunters" (Big Game). Not only does big game hunting provide a food source, but it also prevents lions from preying upon domesticated animals and even humans. Many times, poachers can be found from within the village itself considering that the locals fear that the predatory animals will threaten both people and livestock (Big Game). Ultimately, big game hunting is significantly important to the local communities and farmers due to the beneficial factors including: a stable food source and prevention of loss of domesticated livestock and human